Linux, Windows, and macOS Compared

Linux, Windows, and macOS solve the same fundamental problems.

They isolate applications, schedule execution, manage memory, organize files, control devices, and provide networking. Most application developers use similar high-level operations on all three systems: start a program, open a file, create a thread, or connect to a server.

The important differences are below that surface.

Each system places kernel components differently, represents processes and resources through different abstractions, organizes storage into a different namespace, and exposes a different stable interface to applications.

Below those APIs sit different kernel interfaces and filesystem models.

This chapter focuses on the differences that affect application behavior, deployment, debugging, and portability.